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Google is Killing Off Google Reader in July of This Year

This afternoon, Google announced that they have more spring cleaning to do, which yes, means more closures of services that you probably use. In order to focus on making better products, they do not want to spread themselves too thin and have decided to eliminate a number of products. One of those is Google Reader. Yes, that Google Reader. The same one that you probably use to store all of your RSS feeds in.

It won’t die off immediately, though. You have until July 1, 2013 before you need to pull all of your data out and find a new RSS client.

Here is what Google had to say:

We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.

While disappointing, I wouldn’t necessarily say that this is all that surprising. Google has neglected Reader for some time, especially when it comes to their Android client. Much like with Google Listen, the lack of updates or introduction of new features was a sign that things were slowly coming to an end.

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This sucks…I guess I bought press for nothing. I use press daily since I started flipping stuff from craigslist to ebay. I have several different things setup in press so I can get notified for new posting for things I buy to flip.

br_hermon

Is there any chance that Google could unload this like they did the Android App Inventor to MIT? Maybe someone else could take over operation?

gk08

There is a change.org petition for Google to rethink this. I wouldn’t hold out much hope but it can’t hurt to sign it.

I feel like I just learned an old friend has a terminal disease. Viewing on Android’s easy (have always used GReader). What about on the Windows desktop?

Kevin Dahlstrom

I am actually angry about this. I use Reader as my sole RSS feed system. I rely on it ALL of the time. Very frustrated at this point. I will now have to find something else I guess. Just don’t know where to start for something that is this simple and easy to use. Not a good move in my opinion.

Even ignoring how much we love reader, mobile access, etc, the most attractive part to me (same for iGoogle) is the single-login for everything. I love being able to open sites (docs, calendar, etc) and not have to login to each one on each device.

I see the pictures just fine in Google Reader. I really appreciate that they don’t truncate posts like some sites do.

Paul Otto

-1 lol

Chris Hollenbeck

iGoogle is closing it’s doors also……

crack

As someone who uses iGoogle everyday (it’s my homepage), I’m still frustrated that when they said they were ended it they mentioned that there are “easy ways with chrome to replicate that functionality”. I ditched FF and moved to chrome just for that. It’s been almost a year now and I still cannot replicate the easiness of iGoogle. It just sucks that they’re ditching it.

Alex S

Is both “News Blur” AND “Feedly” unusable for anyone else right now? It’s like they’re having heavy traffic or something…

Mike

Shame, I was thinking about converting to it. Someone needs to make a Holo-compliant News Reader that works properly for Android. I’ll pay for it.

This is somewhat frustrating however that means there reader will most likely be integrated into their Google Plus – albeit a crappier way. Hopefully all the same features in reader shows up in G+ feed reader.

Smart move tho to MAKE you use G+, esp when most dont.

dsass600

Just use currents…

Abhisshack D

mark my word bastard Google will kill current sooner or later

nacho220

Had to chime in as like most others here, Reader one of my most used apps. Thumbs way down on this!

this is just terrible and is one of the things that really frustrates me about Google. they offer a product better than anyone else, effectively putting everyone else out of business, and then eventually they can kill off that product and leave you high and dry with no warning or good alternatives. why not transfer to a paid approach? I would pay a small amount of money each month for google reader.

miguel martinez

I’ve been using Google Currents, isn’t that the equivalent to this? Its great.

Abhisshack D

dont get high hope for it . bastard Google will kill current sooner or later because thats the logical next step for those m0ther fuck3rs

brandon

would this effect the currents app?

Abhisshack D

bastard Google will kill current sooner or later you just wait

iPhonesucks

Isn’t Google Currents better anyways? What’s the difference?

Rodeojones000

Wow. This is incredibly disappointing.

Jason Shankle

One of my three pinned tabs. Opened every day on my phone too. Wth Google?

Daniel

this is horrible…Google Reader was by-far the most-used site on the entire Internet for me…this is the first move that truly feels EVIL to me 🙁

That F’ing blows! I have to test out something quick because I use GReader every day! Any good alternatives? Kellex, on a platter – I think its a good time for a POLL QUESTION, don’t you?!

raddacle

Think its time for a poll to see who actually still uses Reader- and I’m one of them.

FulanoDotel

Would be nice if Google simply handed Reader or its architecture over to a third party instead of this. If we remaining loyal users are so insignificant to their bottom line that they can just toss us aside, then surely there would be little risk in letting it live elsewhere.

It feels silly. But I seriously almost started welling up at this announcement. Why close it down? The appeal of Google is how its possible to have everything in one place.This is just ridiculous.

Matt Larson

Me too. This made me really check out Currents tonight. While it seems a lot slower right now you can easily search for rss feeds and I’ve already added all of my Google Reader feeds. So it may not be as bad as I thought.

Abhisshack D

dont do that, mark my word bastard Google will kill current sooner or later

jarrod

same

irtechneo

Well that sucks. Google Reader is my most used and favorite app on android. I tried some other ones and always came back to reader for its ease of use and great syncing ability. All good things must come to an end I suppose.

gchahinian

Well this sucks, after gmail this is my most used Google app

Balthazar_B

I use Reader, but it’s hardly the greatest exemplar of its function. It’s fair to say inertia has kept me from using a different RSS feed aggregator. The main thing I want is for whatever I use to be associated with my G+ ID, and I have no doubt there’ll be many worthy — and superior — choices out there for this.

Dustin Wen

If currents had a web app. Maybe I wouldn’t be annoyed

Brandon Duckett

Anyone have any recommendations for what to migrate to? Something that is either web based, can sync across computers, and/or can be used on both android and pc in sync at least?

I am messing with several right now. The best I have seen so far is http://bazqux.com/ – VERY similar interface to Google Reader, and actually a lot faster. The downisde is that it’s a paid service, but on the upside of that, it’s a “pay what you can” service that starts at $9 per year from what I can see.

With Google Reader as my first pinned tab in Chrome, this news is devastating. I average over 1000 articles from RSS feeds and at least 2 hours of time spent within Reader per day. Giving all that web time/traffic to someone else? Bad move Google.

Scott Senne

Feedly will auto move your google reader stuff over. They are being hammered right now tho.

AGreenV5

seriously? I use google reader for all of my news. I sure hope they replace it with something…

This will hurt good apps like Press, gReader, and Feedly which were built on Reader. Disappointed as Reader is probably the second most used Google service I use after Gmail

Justin Winker

I have to say that Google Reader is the single most-used service that I use currently to keep up-to-date on news. I’m kind of upset to see it go, but I think that DLife needs to do an article on alternatives 🙂

antwonw

What alternative would you suggest? Because I use Reader for all of my RSS feeds

Currents is an app, though, not a service. I use Reader primarily from a browser. it’s nice that it tracks what I have read and not-read across multiple devices

ughdonttakemyreader

WHAT?! NO! Reader gets me through my workday. What do people suggest as web alternatives?

Abhisshack D

Feedly

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